The present invention relates to a disposable absorbent sanitary product for absorbing body liquids, such as diapers, incontinence pads, sanitary towels or panty liners, comprising a top sheet at least sections of which are permeable to liquid, a bottom sheet at least sections of which are impermeable to liquid and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the bottom sheet, the absorbent body comprising a first storage layer for permanently storing body liquids, which has hydrophilic melt-blown microfibers and particulate superabsorbing material.
Absorbent bodies with particulate superabsorbing materials and melt-blown fibers produced in a so-called “meltblown method” are known in the art. EP 0 080 382 B1 discloses e.g. a sanitary product with an absorbent body comprising, in accordance with one embodiment, 13 weight % of particulate superabsorbing material and, according to another embodiment, 17 weight % of particulate superabsorbing material, which is received and largely immobilized in a three-dimensional fiber network of melt-blown microfibers. According to the disclosure of EP 0 080 382 B1, the melt-blown microfibers preferably have a diameter of 1 to 50 μm.
EP 0 159 630 A2 discloses a sanitary product with an absorbent body comprising a first storage layer having a mixture of melt-blown microfibers, cellulose fibers and superabsorbing material. The content of superabsorbing material relative to the mass of this storage layer is between 20 and 60, preferably between 5 and 22 weight %.
WO 03/052190 A1 discloses an absorbent body structure for use in a sanitary product with thermoplastic multi-component fibers which are melt-blown microfibers, and with particulate superabsorbing material received therein. The portion of superabsorbing material is generally 5 to 90 weight %, in particular 10 to 60 weight %, and preferentially 20 to 50 weight %. The document teaches mixing of the melt-blown microfibers in the liquid molten state with the particulate superabsorbing material to form an adhesive connection between the microfibers and the particulate superabsorbing material, providing sufficient strength of the non-woven material. According to the teaching of this document, a considerable portion of cellulose fibers (“pulp fibers”) of 5 to 97, preferably 35 to 95 weight % is present in addition to the thermoplastic microfibers. This document does not disclose any concrete embodiments.
WO 03/052191 A1 similarly discloses a coform non-woven material with melt-blown multi-component fibers and a second material which may also comprise or consist of superabsorbing particles. The document mentions an immense variety of ranges of the respective components for the multi-component fibers, i.e. 1 to 95 weight %, in particular 2 to 50 weight %, in particular 5 to 30 weight %, and for the particulate superabsorbing material 5 to 90, in particular 10 to 60 and preferentially 20 to 50 weight %. This document does not give any precise material compositions. It mentions that the melt-blown fibers form an adhesive connection with the second material which may comprise particulate superabsorbing material.
It is the object of the present invention to improve an absorbent sanitary product with a storage layer comprising hydrophilic melt-blown microfibers and particulate superabsorbing material such that the particulate superabsorbing material is immobilized in the dry storage layer and such that the strength of the storage layer in the wet state is increased compared to conventional products.